Arctic Reindeer Poo Acts as Flame Retardant

Analysis of dung from wild reindeer in the Arctic finds that it contains manmade flame retardants.

The study, recently published in the journal Chemosphere, is a reminder of how persistent flame retardants are in the environment, such that they can even reach some of the most remote and sparsely populated regions of the planet.

"PBDEs have been used extensively as additive flame retardants in commercial and household products for several decades," wrote lead author Zhen Wang and colleagues from the National Marine Environmental Monitoring Center in China.

The researchers added, "They can release into the environment during the production, use and dismantling of the products due to their weak chemical bonding."

The scientists collected multiple samples of surface soil, moss and reindeer dung from Ny-Ålesund, a research town located on the island of Spitsbergen in Svalbard, Norway. Reindeer, also known as caribou in North America, are native to this Arctic region.

PBDEs were detected in all of the studied samples. The amounts were highest in moss, but second highest in the reindeer feces. Moss is one of the favorite foods of reindeer, such that one species is even commonly called "reindeer moss."

The researchers explained that the flame retardants "tend to be strongly absorbed in soil," where they then become concentrated in moss.

"Once persistent organic pollutants are ingested into (the) body by animals, they are hard to be degraded, owing to their persistence, and one of the main elimination pathways from (the) body is believed to be via feces," according to Wang and colleagues.

Since the flame retardants do not break down easily, it is then possible that after the reindeer eliminate some of the ingested chemicals, they absorb back into the soil and moss, starting the whole cycle over again.

An EPA fact sheet on these and related chemicals notes that the compounds have been widely used as flame retardants over the decades in plastics, furniture, upholstery, electrical equipment, electronic devices, textiles and other household products. As a result, your home is likely full of them now.

They work to prevent flare ups because, at high temperatures, they release bromine radicals that reduce both the rate of combustion and dispersion of fire.

The very bad side is that several studies have shown that exposure to them can cause a variety of health problems. According to the EPA, these include cancer; neurological problems; kidney, liver and skin disorders and more.

Scientists have been working on ways to break down the chemicals in the environment without causing much further pollution. For example, activated carbon has been investigated as a way to clear the chemicals from soil.

The fact that even reindeer at a remote location experience PBDE exposure, however, indicates that we are a long way from solving the problems associated with these chemicals.

When all of the other reindeer used to laugh and call Rudolph names, like Pinocchio, he had to take their abuse and accept being excluded from their reindeer games, like Monopoly. What if Rudolph with his nose-so-bright refused to guide Santa's sleigh in retaliation for the abuse he had faced from dull-nosed reindeer?
Would another reindeer be able to fill in for Rudolph? After all, he isn't the only red-nosed reindeer. Certain reindeer in the Norwegian Arctic have naturally pink noses. Reindeer noses have 25 percent more capillaries than the human nose, according to a recent study published in the journal BMJ. The reddish coloration of the animals noses results from the high concentration of blood vessels. The red-nosed reindeer lacked one important feature. Their noses, although useful in regulating body heat, were unable to glow.
A Rudolph rebellion could indeed cancel Christmas for Santa unless he can find a truly illuminating animal. Santa will need to check out the resumes of some other glowing creatures.

Dogs do a good job hauling sleds around in the Arctic, so they already have on the job experience. However, dogs don't naturally shine. Recently though, a genetically modified beagle was designed to glow.
A gene from the jellyfish species Aequorea victoria that causes them to glow, or fluoresce, under ultraviolet light was inserted into the the beagle. In further studies, the genetically modified mutts could have disease-causing genes inserted along with the glowing genes. That would allow scientists to know which dogs had picked up the disease causing genes by shining a UV light on the animals.
"The dog has 268 genetic type diseases that are similar to those of humans," study co-author ByeongChun Lee told Discovery News’ Jennifer Viegas. "Also, the dog has physiological and anatomical similarities with humans. These reasons make them a good model for human disease."
The only problem is the bright-bodied beagle, named Tegon, is adorable. If Santa’s sleigh was pulled by a frisky little beagle, too many kids would want to keep the pup as a present. Plus the dog might raid Santa’s cookies and milk.

If Santa doesn't want to monkey around with glowing simians, perhaps he can use the fluorescent felines created by Mayo Clinic researchers to help in the fight against HIV-AIDS. The cats were genetically engineered to carry a protein that defends them from infection by the feline immunodeficiency virus (FIV), the cat version of HIV. The cats glow because of the jellyfish gene was inserted along with the FIV-resistance gene. If the genetically modified mouser glowed an eerie green, the researchers knew it was also resistant to FIV.
"One of the best things about this biomedical research is that it is aimed at benefiting both human and feline health," said Eric Poeschla, lead author of the study published in Nature Methods, in a press release. "It can help cats as much as people.”
Santa would have a ready supply of milk for the cats, what with all the cookies and milk left for him. Unfortunately, cats have proven remarkably difficult to herd. Getting them to pull a sleigh would be too much of a challenge for Santa’s elves. Glowing cats are better fit for Halloween anyway.

If brilliant beagles and fluorescent felines were too cute, perhaps Santa would be better off with an animal few kids want to cuddle. Glowing roaches could guide the sleigh and would have no trouble getting down the chimney.
No luck here though, the incandescent insects’ lights may have been snuffed out permanently by a volcano. The roach was only known from a single specimen collected more than 70 years ago in Ecuador. Since then an eruption of the Tungurahua volcano may have wiped out the only known habitat for the insect.
Oh well, Mrs. Claus probably wouldn’t have liked Santa bringing roaches around the house, anyway.

If Santa’s looking for an animal that is both unappealing as a pet and hasn’t been obliterated off the face of the planet by molten magma, perhaps a squid would do swimmingly.
Numerous species of squid and octopi can change their colors for camouflage or communication. Some squid live at the very bottom of the sea, where very little of the sun's light reaches. In the inky depths, the creatures produce their own light for a variety of reasons, including attracting prey and communicating. Jules Verne and Peter Benchley may have given squid a naughty reputation, but some squid have been observed tenderly caring for their unhatched eggs. The nurturing instincts of the squid mothers fit with Santa's style and having all those tentacles could help with wrapping presents and other holiday chores.
The glowing squid shown here, Watasenia scintillans, has special organs called photophores that allow it to light up. Plus, this species is edible. So, in a pinch, Santa could stuff a stocking with calamari.
The problem is, they simply can't survive outside of the water, much less at the high altitudes reached by Santa's sleigh.

While the elves have their diving gear on to wrangle squid, they may as well pick up a few glowing sharks.
The largest of fish, the whale shark, has spots on its back that shine brightly in the sunlight. Every whale shark has a different pattern of spots, which ichthyologists use to identify individuals. Santa wouldn't have any trouble telling the sharks apart, and the giant fish would surely be able to haul the weight of all the world's presents.
Lantern sharks and smalleye pygmy sharks are both shrimps compared to the whale shark at less 30 centimeters in length. But they have a bright idea that may keep them safe from predators and could guide Santa's sleigh. Studies by Julien Claes of the Université Catholique de Louvain in Belgium proved the sharks, like squid, have photophores on their bellies that were capable of producing light. Hormonal signals caused the shark’s underside to glow. The lights may help disguise the shark's silhouette from predators looking up towards the light filtering down from the surface. The lights may also aid in communication.
But landing a whaleshark on a rooftop may be too big of a challenge, even if the elves could figure out how to keep the fish alive out of water.

Santa has to deliver presents to some pretty rough parts of the world. He might need some protection. The bright glow of a scorpion leading the way would surely keep the jolly old elf safe from sleigh-jackers.
Scorpions naturally glow under UV-light. Entomologists use this to find the creatures at night by searching the desert with portable UV- lights. Scientists aren't completely sure why the scorpions glow. It may be that the glow is a by product of their exoskeletons chemical structure. Or it could be part of the mechanism they use to avoid coming out in daylight or during the full moon.
But sadly scorpions will probably have to go on the naughty list. Children would simply be afraid if the patter of reindeer hooves was replaced by the skittering of scorpion claws on the roof.

One of the most familiar of luminescent creatures, the firefly, has some distinct advantages over its rivals for Rudolph's job. For one thing, they can already fly. Plus, they produce their own light and don't need any UV-light sources or genetic engineering to help them out.
Each species of firefly has a distinct sequence of flashes it uses to find a mate. But the frisky firefly better beware. Carnivorous fireflies can mimic their relatives' flash patterns. By copying the flash pattern of a female, they invite a male firefly over for a dinner date. The unsuspecting male ends up as the dinner.
Just think of how sad the world's children would be if their toys were delayed because an amorous insect got himself eaten! For all their flying and glowing advantages, fireflies might be more trouble than they're worth for Kris Kringle.

Glowing snails? Now Santa is really getting to the bottom of barrel of potential sleigh draggers. A bioluminescent species of clusterwink snail (Hinea brasiliana) may use its light producing ability to make itself look bigger and startle off predators.
Santa has to deliver presents to children all over the world. He could never make it using snails to pull his sled.
It looks like no other animals are up for the challenge of leading Santa's reindeer through a foggy Christmas Eve. No wonder he's the most famous reindeer of all.